(Amazon Support Hack) How We Fixed a $40,000 Order With Variation Issues

Navigating Amazon support when dealing with platform issues can be quite the challenge. With no single representative dedicated to your case, repeatedly explaining your issue and hearing the same solutions can be downright frustrating. In our latest video, our COO, Shane Catchpole, shares how we proactively addressed this challenge, setting the stage for effective solutions that not only resolve current issues but also pave the way for smoother problem-solving in the future.

THE PROBLEM

Earlier this year, my team and I faced a challenge when launching a new product. It all revolved around color variations not displaying correctly, leading to a significant drop in conversion rates. We opened a case with Amazon support, and the process turned into a six-week ordeal. Just when we thought we had it fixed, we launched another product with the same variation issue. This meant reopening the case we thought was long resolved. This was a frustrating experience, and two main factors contributed to our frustration.

1. The Handcuffed Support Staff of Amazon

Firstly, it's crucial to understand that lower-level support staff often seem handcuffed when dealing with certain issues. This isn't their fault but rather a byproduct of Amazon's immense scale. With hundreds of thousands of customer support reps, training them effectively requires strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). So, when you have a unique problem, the chances of finding someone who can provide a solution right away are slim.

2. Never-Ending Support Cases

The most infuriating aspect of our journey was the endless cycle of support cases. We'd get a new solution or recommendation each day from a different representative. One day it's solution A, the next it's solution B, and on it goes. It felt like Groundhog Day, and it seemed no one was comprehensively reviewing our case. With our case file spanning 15 pages with approximately 100 replies, expecting every support rep to read it all was unrealistic.

THE SOLUTION?

We decided to take matters into our own hands and created a system that helped us find solutions faster and avoid the Groundhog Day scenario. Here's what we did:

We began summarizing our case file by categorizing issues and recording the date of each interaction in a Google Doc. For instance, when one customer support agent recommended 'Solution A,' we made a note of it. Likewise, when another agent suggested 'Solution B,' we documented it. Our goal was to create a concise and focused summary of the action points provided by different customer support agents.

Every time we opened a new case, we attached the PDF from our Google Doc. This made it easy for the support team to understand the history of our case and avoid repeating the same recommendations, and no more Groundhog Day.

Bottom Line:

Implementing this system meant that every representative who dealt with our case had a full understanding of what we had tried, what had failed, and what hadn't been attempted. It didn't solve our issue overnight, but it significantly reduced the time it took to find a resolution. Plus, it prevented us from falling into the repetitive cycle of the same suggestions.

But this is just the beginning. To dive deeper into our experience, watch the full video on YouTube. Shane provides an in-depth look at our journey, shares additional insights, and offers practical tips for tackling similar challenges. Don't miss out on this invaluable resource that could save you time, money, and sanity in your Amazon FBA endeavors.